Elon Musk’s X platform faces fresh scrutiny after journalists discovered that its Grok AI tool continues to create and allow the posting of sexually explicit images, despite recent pledges to crack down on such misuse.
The Guardian conducted tests revealing that users can still generate highly sexualized videos of real women through Grok’s standalone app, known as Grok Imagine.
Reporters successfully created short videos showing women stripping to bikinis from photographs of fully clothed individuals, then posted this content to X’s public platform without any moderation intervention.
This discovery comes just days after X announced on Wednesday that it had “implemented technological measures” to prevent the manipulation of images showing real people in revealing clothing.
The company’s statement appeared to address mounting pressure from UK authorities, with Prime Minister Keir Starmer previously condemning such AI-generated images as “disgusting” and “shameful.”
Standalone Grok App Exploited to Create Nonconsensual Sexual Imagery
The restrictions announced by X this week seem to apply only to the main Grok feature integrated within the X platform, not the standalone Grok Imagine app accessible through web browsers. This creates an obvious loophole that undermines the company’s stated commitment to preventing nonconsensual sexual content.
When Guardian reporters uploaded still photographs of clothed women and prompted the AI to dress them in bikinis, the system went beyond the request. The tool generated videos depicting the women removing their clothes in sexually provocative stripteases, which could then be shared publicly on X within seconds.
Reuters journalists, including reporters in Britain, confirmed similar findings after X’s announcement, successfully creating sexualized photos on demand using Grok.
Rebecca Hitchen, head of policy and campaigns at the End Violence Against Women Coalition, expressed frustration that such a simple workaround exists. “The continued ease of access to sophisticated nudification tools clearly demonstrates that X isn’t taking the issue of online violence against women and girls seriously enough,” she said.
Penny East, chief executive of the Fawcett Society, questioned whether the company genuinely cannot solve this problem or simply doesn’t prioritize it. “First, Musk decided the solution was to preserve nudification as a privilege only for those users who pay for X. Then he pledged to stop it entirely. And yet it has not stopped,” she noted.
East added that the tech sector fundamentally fails to prioritize safety and dignity in product development. “It’s a pretty low bar for women to expect that they can converse online without men undressing them. And yet seemingly even that is impossible.”
UK Threatens Action Against X Amid Growing Global Backlash Over AI Safety
UK Technology Secretary Liz Kendall, who previously called the sexual manipulation of women’s and children’s images “despicable and abhorrent,” welcomed X’s announced measures but maintained caution. She emphasized that Ofcom’s ongoing investigation must “fully and robustly” establish the facts.
Starmer reinforced this stance, demanding immediate action from X. “Free speech is not the freedom to violate consent,” he stated. “Young women’s images are not public property, and their safety is not up for debate.”
Ofcom confirmed its formal investigation into X, launched Monday, remains active. The regulator said it’s “working round the clock to progress this and get answers into what went wrong and what’s being done to fix it.”
The controversy extends beyond the UK. Canada’s privacy watchdog announced an investigation into xAI, the company behind Grok. Philippine authorities are moving to block Grok entirely, while Malaysian officials plan legal action.
Ironically, the scandal may have boosted Grok’s visibility. Musk shared data Thursday showing searches for “Grok” hitting new highs on Google Trends, claiming “popularity and real world usage are skyrocketing globally.” His response was simple: “Try Grok.com.”
The UK government emphasized that the Online Safety Act already requires platforms like X to prevent illegal content, including nonconsensual intimate images and child abuse material. Officials are also developing a proposed “nudification” offense specifically targeting tools designed to generate nonconsensual intimate images.
Whether X will successfully close the loopholes allowing continued misuse of Grok remains to be seen, as regulators and women’s safety advocates maintain pressure for meaningful change.
